LAS VEGAS (UNLVRebels.com) – The UNLV volleyball team returns to Las Vegas and Cox Pavilion for a four-match homestand that begins Tuesday night against the New Mexico Lobos and continues Thursday with a visit by the Air Force Falcons. This lengthy stretch carries over into next week with contests against the Fresno State Bulldogs and San Diego State Aztecs on Oct. 31 and Nov. 2.
This week's affairs against UNM and Air Force are both slated for 6:30 pm first serves.
UNLV (10-9 overall, 6-2 MW) enters the week winners of six straight following three consecutive successful weekends against conference foes, which has moved it into sole possession of third place in the conference. This current stretch began earlier this month in the Golden State with a pair of victories over San Diego State (3-0) and Fresno State (3-2). It has since continued at home with a sweep of Utah State and a come-from-behind, five-set win over Boise State as well as road triumphs this past week at San Jose State (3-0) and UNR (3-1).
UNM (6-14, 1-7) will be playing its third straight road match after it faced UNR and San Jose State in Reno and San Jose, respectively. The Lobos knocked off the Wolf Pack in five sets to claim their first MW victory; however, they dropped a four-set decision two days later against the Spartans.
Air Force (7-13, 4-4) went 2-0 last week with home victories over Fresno State (3-1) and San Diego State (3-2).
PROMOTIONAL ITEMS OF INTEREST
Oct. 22 vs. New Mexico: Pink Game: 300 pink cooling towels (giveaway)
Oct. 24 vs. Air Force: Military/Law Enforcement/First Responder Appreciation Day: 300 camo koozies (giveaway)
TUNE IN, WATCH & LISTEN
Fans can follow this week's Mountain West matches against New Mexico and Air Force by various means: live stats, live video and social media. Links to stats and live video can be found online at UNLVRebels.com in the "schedule" section of the team's volleyball page as well as on the team's official social media channels.
SCOUTING THE OPPOSITION
>New Mexico: The Lobos are 6-14 through eight weeks of play, going 1-1 last week on the road in Mountain West play with a 3-2 win at UNR and a 3-1 loss at San Jose State ... The Lobos began the year with a 3-0 win against Rutgers, but followed that victory with seven losses in their next nine outings ... The Lobos got back in the win column with triumphs over North Texas (3-2) and Kansas State (3-1), but have since lost seven of eight ... The Lobos returned 10 letterwinners, including two starters, from a team that finished seventh in the conference with a 9-9 mark, and a 15-15 overall record last year ... The Lobos were picked to finish seventh in the MW this season.
>Air Force: The Falcons are 7-13 through eight weeks of play, going 2-0 last week at home in Mountain West play with a 3-1 win over Fresno State and a 3-2, come-from-behind victory over San Diego State ... The Falcons began the year with three straight losses before they won two of their next three; however, they followed that stretch losing eight of their next 10 ... The Falcons have won three of their last four, splitting their matches two weeks ago at UNR (3-1 win) and San Jose State (3-0 loss), and winning both last week ... The Falcons returned 12 letterwinners, including three starters and their libero, from a team that finished ninth in the conference with a 7-11 mark, and a 17-15 overall record last year ... The Falcons were picked to finish ninth in the MW this season.
TOP-25 OPPOSITION FACED: UNLV has played two opponents that found their way into the AVCA Top-25 Poll earlier this season. Currently, the Rebels have faced Colorado State (18-1) and California (17-1) which sit No. 14 and 15, respectively, with a combined 35-2 record. Both squads moved into the top 25 in on Sept. 16, with CSU and Cal ranked No. 22 and 24, respectively.
Cal was not ranked when it faced UNLV on Sept. 7; however, CSU was No. 17 on Sept. 28.
MAR(IENA) RECORDS TO BE BROKEN: UNLV & MOUNTAIN WEST: UNLV's
Mariena Hayden rewrote the program's single-season and career record book for aces last season with 114 and 157, respectively, and has already bumped her name to the top of the statistical category for the Mountain West, as well, this year.
Hayden entered 2019 needing 19 to tie San Diego State's Robyn Gregg (2000-03) for first all-time in the MW. Prior to last week's match against Utah State (Oct. 10), she needed five to equal Gregg's 176 four-year haul and six to surpass it. Coincidentally, Hayden drew even on five consecutive first-set serves against USU, and then broke the mark with the first of six in the third frame - which occurred in a span of seven serves. To date, she has 192 aces.
Since her return fully to the lineup against Arizona State, Hayden has been accumulating kills and moving up the program's career chart for the category. With help from 22 kills versus Utah State (Oct. 10), she reached the 1,000-kill mark; thus, becoming only the eighth Rebel in program history to achieve the feat. To date, she sits sixth overall with 1,064.
She's also moving up the Rebel career charts in attack attempts (sixth) and digs (ninth).
PURCHASE TICKETS: Tickets for the 2019 volleyball season are on sale now and can be purchased online at UNLVTickets.com. Fans can also get their tickets in person at the Thomas & Mack Center Box Office or by call 702-739-FANS (3267). Season tickets are only $50 for adults and $40 for seniors (62+), faculty and staff, and active alumni.
Tickets for individual matches are $8 for adults and $6 for seniors, faculty and staff. Additionally, fans that purchase tickets online up to 11:59 pm prior to match day can get them for an advanced single-match price of $5. Tickets for groups of 15 or more are only $4 apiece.
All high school, middle school and elementary students are free under UNLV's admission policy. To receive free admission, high school students must present a valid Nevada area school I.D. at the box office on match day to receive one (1) complimentary ticket. All other students will receive one complimentary ticket at the box office (no I.D. required). Kids not yet elementary age will continue to receive free admission for all UNLV Olympic sports.
